After the Sting
by Neneithel
Summary: A continuation of Sting of Steele.


_**After the Sting.**_

"Quite a week." said Murphy, stirring his coffee.

Laura nodded, "It was complicated, but I can't say it wasn't fun."

"Even when that charmer took an interest in your mother?"

Laura smiled and dropped lightly onto the couch with her coffee. "Chalmers." she said, "And I think maybe it was good for her. It's been too long since someone gave her that kind of attention - someone other than an adulterous dentist."

"You think he's an improvement on an adulterous dentist?" said Murphy.

"Well, I don't think he's married. He made her smile. He made her laugh."

Murphy sipped his coffee. After a while, he said, "So, tell me what you got out of him about Steele's past."

"Not much." said Laura, "He plays his cards close to the chest."

"Of course, but you're Laura Holt."

"And he's the man who taught Mr Steele to prevaricate."

"You're still Laura Holt." said Murphy, "Tell me you at least got his real name."

She shook her head. "Sorry. He claims not to know it. It seems even at fourteen, he had a selection."

"Do you believe that?" said Murphy.

"I don't know. He's a storyteller. I think he could make almost anyone believe almost anything."

"So what did he tell you about our man of mystery?"

"He didn't have the best of starts."

"You're kidding. That guy was born with a silver spoon in each hand."

"According to Daniel, he was a kid, struggling to survive on the streets of London. Hardly fits with our vision of the sophisticated Mr Steele, does it?"

"How did he get there?"

"Daniel didn't say. He probably doesn't know."

"So he took him in and trained him to steal and lie and cheat?" said Murphy, "Great way to help him."

Laura sighed. "I don't know how much is true, maybe one day Mr Steele will tell us, but I do believe that Daniel cares about him. He's proud of him and he's protective of him. I don't think he was just training an accomplice. It was more like adopting a son. It does explain a few things."

"Like why Steele was so anxious to help Chalmers?"

"And why he loves the attention he gets as Steele. If he really started out as a homeless and unwanted kid, maybe he needs all the attention he can get."

"This could all be so much moonshine." said Murphy, "A story they cooked up between them."

"I know." said Laura.

"And you don't care."

"What's your excuse for helping with Hoskins?" she said, smiling.

"Same as yours, a favour for a friend." he said.

"I know you don't trust him ... "

"Do you?" he said.

"No." she said, "But this time, he trusted me, and that means something."

He nodded and put his cup down. "Yeah, that means quite a lot. I should go. I work for this high-flying detective and she likes me to be punctual."

"Thanks, Murph. I'll see you tomorrow."

He'd been gone five minutes when the doorbell rang. She went to open the door, expecting it to be him, but it was Steele. He smiled at her and said, "Don't worry, no new old friends have come out of the woodwork needing help."

"That's good." she said, "Did Daniel get his flight?"

"Yes, winging his way to a happy retirement." he said, "May I come in?"

She opened the door. "Please do."

Once inside, he looked around and smiled. "I like this place. It's very you."

"I'm not sure what that means." she said.

"Would you like me to explain?" he said.

She thought for a moment. "No, not just now."

"Well then, I'll just say what I came here to say."

She tensed. There was a possibility that what he had come to say was that he had decided to follow Daniel. "What was that?" she said.

"You didn't have to help Daniel. He and I should have kept you out of it, but we didn't and you helped. It meant a lot to me. I won't forget it."

"You owe him a lot, don't you?" she said.

"Everything, Laura. I owe him everything."

"What does he think of me?"

Steele chuckled. "He likes you, with reservations. He's afraid you may seduce me to your side of the law. Though he did say there are less attractive mistakes I could make."

"But that won't happen, will it?" she said.

"I wish I could be so sure." he said, "I must admit, there is a dangerous attraction to honesty."

"This time, you pulled me a little to your side."

"Briefly, momentarily, but getting back to this side comes as a relief." She didn't miss the fact that he had called her side, "this side" and she smiled.

"For both of us." she said.

"Isn't it good when we're in tune?" he said, "I hope your interrogations of Daniel didn't make you think less of me. What did he tell you, anyway?"

"That life wasn't easy for you and that you're important to him." she said, "Don't worry, he didn't give away many secrets."

"He was the first real friend I ever had and he taught me everything that mattered." He took her hands and kissed her. "Like how to know a real friend when I have one. I mean it, Laura, I won't forget it."

"You told me the truth," said Laura, "And I won't forget that."


End file.
